The Supreme Court has begun delivering its verdict in the 1993 Bombay serial blasts case. It has upheld the death sentence for Yakub Memon and changed the death sentence of 10 others to life. Actor Sanjay Dutt has been convicted in the Arms Act case and has been given a 5 year sentence. He has served 18 months in jail already.
On 12th march 1993 twelve coordinated blasts within two hours ravaged Mumbai, India's financial capital, killing 257 people and injuring more than 700. Among the targets were the Bombay Stock Exchange, Air India Building at Nariman Point and hotels Sea Rock and Juhu Centaur.
Sanjay Dutt was arrested in April 1993, a month after the serial blasts, police said the AK-56 found in his house was from the consignment of arms smuggled into the country before the blasts. He was arrested and booked under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) and sent to Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail, where he did time for around 16 months before being granted bail.

In his confession upon his arrest in 1993, which he later retracted, the actor had said that mafia don Abu Salem visited his home in January 1993 with Samir Hingora and Hanif Kadawala, proprietors of Magnum Video and alleged close associates of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

Sanjay Dutt said they had brought three AK-56 rifles with ammunition, and he kept one to protect his family. He said that he had asked his close friend Yusuf Nulwalla to destroy the rifle after he heard about the serial blasts.

Murmurs that that Sanjay Dutt got away because of political pressure allegedly exerted by his family, including his late father, actor Sunil Dutt, have persisted throughout the case. Defence lawyers have questioned why the CBI did not question his acquittal.

The verdict will no doubt bring gloom to the Bollywood fraternity. Three films, Policegiri, Zanjeer and P.K., are under production and nearly Rs. 70 crore is riding on Sanjay Dutt.